Making Apple Fritters
by XatLenore
Summary: 4 months after the death of her younger sister Applebloom, Applejack tries to start life again for herself.
1. Chapter 1,Does it linger?

Applebloom's pictures were hanging on the fridge. One was a hoof painting of an apple tree. The other was a crayon drawing of a chicken. One of Applejack bucking apples with a poor doodle of their dog. Applejack stood in front of the fridge, looking at the pictures. Applebloom was a terrible drawer, you could hardly make out any of them. With a sigh, Applejack started to take them down. One by one, biting the bottom and putting them in the tiny cardboard box next to her.

"Takin' them there pictures down?" Granny Smith's voice made Applejack jump a little, she turned around seeing her grandmother. Applejack nodded and said with a bit of a single laugh, "Heck…Why not?" she turned back around and took a few more off. One after the other, and the fridge was bare, only a few magnets and a note saying, "Buy milk, cheese, something for supper"

Applejack looked down at the box. The pile of messy papers, piled in an even messier pile. Applejack reached up and fixed her hat to fit better on her head. She continued to stare down onto the box as she spoke, "Give me some help with this here, Granny?" Granny Smith walked over very slowly, like most old ponies do. Once she was over to the box, which seemed to take forever, she lifted it up with her mouth and placed it on AJ's back. "Thanks, Granny" she said as she turned around.

She walked upstairs, balancing the box on her back as if it was a pile of priceless vases. Granny Smith was walking behind her, walking equally as slow it seemed. When they got to the attic, Applejack placed the box in the corner of the room next to Applebloom's toys and knick knacks. The attic was dusty and stuffy. The single tiny window was caked in dust, the floorboards creaked and seemed as if they'd break any moment. Applejack stood back and looked at the pile of semi-useless junk in the corner. She saw Granny Smith standing by her looking at it.

"Does it ever get easier?" asked Applejack to Granny Smith as she stood there, staring at Applebloom's things. Granny Smith looked with her. Not speaking for a long, long time. She slowly raised her head and replied, "Does the uh what get easier, now?" Applejack pulled her hat down over her face and muttered, "I dunno…The pain the-…the weight on my chest?"

Granny Smith kept her eyes on the pile. She could pick out a few shoes and a dress from the whole mess. She sighed, "Without the pain and that there weight you feel…Ya wouldn't have anythin' left tuh remember…" Applejack looked over at Granny with a few tears in her eyes, Granny Smith continued, "But…it gets easier, yes sir. A few pounds'll come off or…yer head wont hang so much, heh heh" she put her hoof on Applejacks chin and lifted her head. Granny Smith had a tiny smile on her face.

"And this here, bloodshot look of yers..." she wiped the tiny tears from Applejacks eyes, "It starts tuh go away…" She then put her hoofs on Applejacks messy mane, "Then you'll…start tuh look after yerself too…honestly Applejack ya look like yer mane was dipped in a vat of grease" Applejack couldn't help but let out a tiny laugh. Granny Smith grinned a bit wider, hearing that she got at least a chuckle from her granddaughter.

The two mares turned and stared to walk down the mucky stares, as they reached the bottom, Applejack slowly stopped walking and turned her head towards the entrance of the attic. She blinked twice, eyes fixed on the entrance, "And…does it stop to linger all the time?" she asked, looking over at Granny Smith. "Unfortunately, yes." She replied as she slowly closed the door to the attic.


	2. Chapter 2, Not making it easier

Applejack sat on a wooden stool in front of the window in the living room of her small house. The sun shined in, letting the warm sunshine warm her face and shine her hair. Her mane was down, neither her tail nor mane was done up in a ponytail like it usually was. She had a few locks in her face, covering her eyes a bit making it hard to look out. The wind blew in from the open window, she closed her eyes and felt it blow her mane back out of her face. Moments after the wind stopped, she slowly opened her emerald green eyes again.

A sigh left her, it echoed through her clean, therefor seemingly empty, room. Turning her head she saw the sight she saw every day. Her bed, her floor, her single mirror and all her other half useless items she owned. Looking above the hamper she had next to her cupboards that held clothes, was a picture of her and Applebloom celebrating her 5th birthday. She smiled at it, letting the crystal clear memories dance around her.

Eyes closed again, she smiled at the memories. Apple bucking with her, playing games with her and arguing with her. After a while she slowly opened her eyes again, feeling hungry she went downstairs. The boards on the stairs creaked as she walked down them. Hearing plates and dishes knock together, Applejack knew there was somepony in the kitchen. Less than expected, Big Mac was making himself something to eat.

Applejack walked past him and opened the cupboard and pulled out a jar of pickled plums. She pulled one out with her teeth and ate it. Big Mac was the first to break the silence,

"Rainbow Dash called.",

"Yeah? I reckon she wanted me for a favor."

"She asked if ya wanted to come over and play horseshoes, ya wanna?"

"Nope"

Applejack pulled out another, eating it in one bite. Big Mac, still standing back onto her, was mixing a bowl of batter. "Didn't know y'all baked, Big Mac." Said Applejack, putting the jar away. "And I didn't know you were such a shut in." Big Mac replied. Applejack laughed a little and went into the fridge and pulled out a jug of apple juice. She looked around and said in a half monotone voice, "It's quiet…"

Big Mac slowly stopped stirring, listening in to the silence as well. Everypony was quiet for a long time, Big Mac let out a sigh, "Eeyup" he said as he put the bowl of dough into a pan. Applejack turned to go back upstairs, as she stepped onto the bottom step Big Mac called her out

"Applejack!"

"Yeah?" she turned her head

"Why don't ya try going out? Like ah said, Rainbow invited you over,"

"And like ah said. No."

She took another step to go upstairs, then another. Each individual step making a tapping squeaky noise. Halfway up the steps Big Mac yelled out again to her,

"Stayin' in that there room ain't gonna make it easier Applejack!"

Applejack stopped walking. Standing still, one hoof on the step above the other. Not saying a word. Big Mac continued,

"It ain't makin' it easier for anypony…"

Applejacks mouth slowly opened to talk back, her jaw quivering a bit as her eyes teared up. "I…I lost mah little sister, Big Mac." She turned around, "I can't just act like its nothing and go on!"

"Well how do y'all think ah feel?!" He yelled back at her. Applejack cringed at the sound of her older brother raising his voice, which he never does. "It feels like I lost both of them! Y'all just stay in your room all day while ah stay down here a-"

"Dangit, Big Mac just stop!" Applejack yelled back, still not facing him. Nopony talked. She raised her head and said quietly, "stop it…" then walked back into her room.


	3. Chapter 3, Icecream

Applejack woke up at 11 in the morning, awakening from a dream about the ocean. Once she woke up, she stayed lying in bed. Closing her eyes again to try and get back to sleep. The blankets were a mess, the pillows where everywhere. Applejacks choppy mane was sprawled almost elegantly over the piles of blankets, pillows and a few towels. Lying on her side, half her face buried in the mattress, she heard hoof steps walking towards her door. She relaxed her body, pretending to be asleep the best she could.

Big Macintosh knocked on her door and opened it.

"Applejack?" Said Big Mac, knowing she was awake

"mm?" she muttered, not moving or opening her eyes

"Rarity is at the door." he said, fixing the pillows

"Tell her ah don't wanna go out today,"she said as she started to roll over to face him.

"Its been enough time, go out and socialize," he said, now nudging her to get to her get out of bed.

Applejack sighed and quickly got out of bed, not fixing her mane or tail, she walked rather quickly down the stairs. Once she got to the bottom, she turned and went to the door. Rarity stood there awaiting her, a saddle bag tied around her. Her purple, curled mane was up, she had on a sun hat placed on top of her head neatly. When Applejack was close enough for Rarity to see her perfectly Rarity called out, "Oh goodness, Darling! Oh your hair!" she looked down to Applejacks hoofs and let out a loud, overly dramatic gasp and yelled, "Oh your hoofs!" she leaned to the side and caught a glimps of her tail, "Oh! Oh darling! Oh your tail!" she continued to badger at her new looks.

"Well!" said Rarity, shouting everything she was saying. "You're coming with me!"  
"Ah'd really rather not," Rarity was already behind her, pushing her out the door.

At least 20 minutes later, Rarity had her in her boutique, wiping Applejacks body down with a rough cloth. "...See you have to exfoliate to get the pours cleaned off at well..." Rarity was explaining everything she was doing as she was doing it. Applejack just sat there, not moving. Any other day she would of refused, but she really had let herself go the past few months. She was much thinner and looked as if she hadn't showered in months.

Rarity stopped talking and simply started humming, levitating a bunch of bottles of cleansers around her and Applejack. "So Applejack, I haven't seen you in ages! What have you been doing?" Applejack never answered. Eyes locked forward, a bit scrunched up, being irritated. "I see." Rarity replied, opening a bottle of cream to cleanse Applejack's hoofs. Rarity went to put the wad of cream near Applejack's hoofs and Applejack stepped back, "Whoa now, partner. Nopony touchin' mah buckin' hoofs!"

Rarity did a condescending laugh, "I knew I'd get you to speak somehow~" Applejack couldn't help but giggle. "Now, Rarity..." she stepped back and turned so she was now facing her friend, "y'all are to kind but...ah'd like to get back to m'ah house if that's alright with you..."

"Nonsense! You are to stay until you look presentable." she walked closer to her, lifting a bit of her mane with her horn, "now...I shall fix...this...and I will walk you to the cafe. There I shall buy you dinner." as she spoke she walked around Applejack, letting her magic twirl the locks of her mane around into a braid. "Then after we eat, I will walk you home."

"Rarity...y'all dont have to do all that..." she said, quietly. "Nonsense. I may be a lady, but I refuse to take no for an answer. Now," she tied a black elastic around the bottom of the braid, "lets go."

After at least 15 minutes of arguments and so on, Applejack agreed to go with Rarity for only a little while, then they would leave. As they walked, Applejack looked up into the sky, the sun felt nice and the sky was clear. She hoped she wouldn't see any of her other friends, but deep down, she missed them. Even Rarity, with her prim and proper ways. Finally at the cafe, they sat down outside. A unicorn waitress came out, she had a powder purple coat, with a greyish dark mane. She put down two menus and asked, "Could I get you two a drink to start?" Applejack just muttered, "water" while Rarity replied, "I'll have a long island ice tea~ Oh and love the uniform, very posh."

Applejack sat down and sighed, being a bit uneasy with the ponies around her. A few were looking over at her and waved. She'd tip her hat at them. Rarity started talking, "So, we all missed you." Applejack said nothing, she dropped a straw into her cup and started sipping the icey water. "Honestly Appleja-"

A young filly started screaming behind her, "But sis! I want ice cream!" Applejack lowered her ears, the sound of anypony screaming hurt her ears. "I told you, no." said the older sounding pony. Applejack turned her head. She saw a mare with a pink mane and a aquamarine coat. She had another younger filly with her, with a aquamarine coat aswell but with a orange mane. "I told you, its not good for your teeth," "Come on sis! Just this one time!" yelled back the younger filly.

Applejack turned around, "Hey!" the elder one looked over, "Oh sorry, were we being to loud-" Applejack interrupted, "The ice cream cost 2 bits, just get her the ice cream!" the elder sister raised an eyebrow, "Look, I don't know you,", "Ah'm just saying" she started walking towards the to sisters, "it wont hurt her teeth that much." "Look you're clearly not anypony's sister so you wouldn't know how to look after a-" Applejack's anger got a hold of her and she lifted her hoof and smacked the mare across the face.

The mare gasps and cupped her own cheek where a red spot was now. She looked at Applejack. Rarity quickly got up and walked over to AJ, "Come on, darling lets go." she looked at the mare, "terribly sorry, dear." and she put a arm around Applejack and quickly walked her out of there.


	4. Chapter 4, The bridge

Applejack walked next to Rarity. They were walking back to Rarity's boutique, since Rarity said she had to grab something before they went to AJ's. Rarity agreed to leave her alone once she walked her home.

"Ah should go back and apologize..." Applejack said, head hanging low.

"N-now now, Applejack. She was being so rude, _I'm_ surprised that _I _didn't walk up there and give her what for, myself! But, being a lady", she flicked her mane, "I shan't do such riff raft. But its okay, you had a reason. _She_ was just being rude."

Applejack just shook her head and kept walking. The ground was covered in dead leafs, it was Fall. The sky was bright blue, the sun shined down on Ponyvill as it did every day. The trees were brown and orange. "Now, you wait here while I go in." said Rarity as she turned and walked into her boutique.

Applejack hadn't noticed they've already arrived. She raised her head and looked up at the sky as she waited.

Rarity trotted out, levitating a tote bag above her head. "Now, I shall walk you home." she said with a grin. They walked again. Applejack was walking rather slow, so Rarity was a little bit in front of her. "Are you attending the running of the leafs this year, Applejack?" Applejack simply shook her head. She wasn't talking too much, she didn't really have anything to say. "I'm sure if you ask, Twilight could help you get si-", "Ah ain't speakin' to her!" she started walking faster, trotting a little bit ahead of Rarity now.

"Right...sorry." Rarity said as she sped up a little to catch up. Once they got to the fork in the road between the long way to Sweet Apple Acres and the short way, Rarity was already tuckered out. The short way, the ponies had to walk over a bridge, the long way they had to go up the stream once they got to it, did a tiny hop over the narrow end, then walk down the orchard to the farm. Rarity clearly wanted to go the short way, but knew Applejack would want to go the long way to avoid...there.

The white unicorn turned to go down the long way but Applejacked turned her head, "Rarity, don't you wanna go the short way?" Rarity stayed facing away from her, but turned her head to speak to her face like a proper lady would, "Now Applejack, why would I want to do that?". Applejack lowered her eye brows, "...Its shorter?"

Rarity cleared her throat, "Ahem...yes well...Are you sure you want to? I mean isn't that the place where uh..." Applejack looked over down the path. She could see the bridge on the brim of her vision. Biting her lip and stepping back a little, she insisted, "Rarity its fine!" she said, a little loud and walked forward. "Applejack, really-", "Nope. Its fine Rarity." she walked a little faster until she was at a trot. Rarity quickly trotted up next to her, still holding the tote bag over her head.

Applejack's walk started to slow down the closer they got to the bridge. The poorly painted, broken down but still well built bridge was where it always was. It was short, about 8 feet long. The water underneath was deep and calm. Finally at the bridge, Applejack stopped walking.

Her orange hoofs stopped at the edge of the bridges floor. She blinked a few times, feeling her heart race go up. Rarity stood next to her, "Now, darling, you don't have to, we can still turn around." Applejack didn't move or say a word. She raised her head and fixed her had, she walked onto the bridge, one step at a time, very slowly.

Once she got to the middle of the bridge she could see a few chips in the railing gone. Her heart stopped, she was froze in place as the memories of 4 months ago came back.


	5. Chapter 5, The Accident

~*4 Months ago*~

Applejack was bucking trees, Twilight was helping, along with Rarity. Applebloom and the other cutie mark crusaders were playing around. "Applejack can we go play on the bridge? Are we old enough?" asked Applebloom, her two other best friends standing behind her. "I dunno! What do y'all think?"

Twilight levitated multiple apples out of a tree and placed them in a basket, "I can watch them for you."

she said, looking back at the two, "Its no problem" she said with a smile. Applejack turned and bucked a tree, the apples falling on the ground, "Well...if you insist, ah don't see why not." she started picking them up with her mouth, Twilight, being a nice friend, instantly picked them up with her magic and put them in the basket.

Twilight was an amazing pony. Always helping out and studying hard as she can. Her magic was amazing and she earned the right to have such good magic. Twilight gave Applejack another smile and walked with the three young fillies to the bridge. Rarity picked more apples with her magic, "Goodness me...Applejack would it be too much trouble as to take a break? I'm sweating all over." Applejack laughed, "Now Rarity, we only started half an hour ago," Rarity sighed, "Oh but that's thirty minutes! Come let us get a drink at least! I'm simply parched."

"Alright Rarity, lets go." she said with a smile. She trotted to the barn with her walking lazily behind her. Once they got to the house, Applejack pulled out a jug of apple juice and an ice tray. "Now now, Applejack, I'll do that for you~" she said, using her magic to fix three drinks, one for her, one for Applejack and one for Twilight. "The younger ones wouldn't want on would they?"

Applejack shrugged, "We can ask them." she said as she turned around. When she stepped out she was tackled to the ground by Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. The two fillies where babbling nonsense about the bridge and Applebloom. She pushed them off and screamed, "One at a time!"

Sweetie Belle yelled back at her, her voice squeaking, "Applebloom was walking on the rails and fell off!" Applejack's eyes widened. Her heart froze and she felt her stomach tense up. Twilight was a few feet away under the tree. Her eyes too where wide open and teary. She looked over to Applejack, her mouth slightly open. Applejack got out of her trans and ran to the bridge as she heard Twilight yell back after her, "Applejack, I'm sorry!"


	6. Chapter 6, Could I Use The Loo?

Applejack walked in to her house with Rarity behind her. After walking the long way Rarity was a little bit sweaty, she was also making a huge fuss out of it. The moment she walked in she put the tote bag down and turned to Applejack,

"Applejack, could I use your loo?",

"M'ah what?",

"You're um...lavatory?",

"…my bathroom?"

"Yes! Yes that!"

"Well shoot Rarity, why didn't y'all just say. Sure thing, Sugarcube. You know where it is,"

"Thank you Applejack" She ran down the hall.

Big Mac came in, covered in dirt. He went to the sink and turned it on, leaned down and drank from the tap, after he wiped his mouth he looked over to AJ.

"Somepony here?", asked Big Macintosh

"Rarity, shes in the loo" Replied Applejack, getting a glass down from the counter for him to use instead

"The what?" he asked, taking the glass and tilting his head for a thanks

"Ah don't know…" she muttered

"So what was your day out like?" Big Mac asked as he turned the faucet on

"I slapped a filly," she said in a normal tone

"….Eeyup…" he said calmly

Applejack looked into the living room to see if Granny Smith was home, she was sitting on a rocking chair with their dog on the floor next to her. Applejack walked in and pat her dog on the head, "heh…Winona sure does sleep a lot now…" Granny Smith smiled and looked over, "Found out she's not really just sick…" Applejack looked up at Granny Smith, a bit of fear went in her. She hardly noticed Winona not running around after all whats happened. When Granny Smith hinted it could be something worse, she felt the stab of fear drive into her stomach.

"This here mutts pregnant," She said as she rocked back and forth in her rocking chair

"Pregnant! Since when?" Applejack yelled

"Since a few months ago…notice she's been getting' herself a little fat?" she asked, putting hoof down and rubbing Winona's back. Winona's tail wagged a little, her eyes still closed

"Whens she havin' the puppies? What will we do with 'em?" Asked Applejack while she started pacing

"She's haven' them pups in a few weeks ah think…" She said calmly but in her hard to understand voice

Rarity walked in quickly, her coat seemed cleaner, she must of wiped herself with a washcloth.

"Somepony's pregnant?!" she yelled in an over dramatic tone

"Winona is pregnant," Applejack said, turning to the white unicorn. Rarity let out a sigh of relief, "oh thank Celestia…." She raised her head and went to leave, "Well I shall take my leave, Applejack let us do this again sometime. Maybe I'll invite Fluttershy or even Rainbow Dash along as well?"

Applejack sighed and paused, thinking about it for a long time. Then a small grin spread across her face as she looked up at Rarity, "sure Rarity." Rarity smiled, batting her eyelashes a few times and turning, Applejack followed her to the door. She looked over and saw the bag still on the counter, "ah! Rarity, ya forgot yer bag", "No darling that's for you!" Rarity said as she walked out, "ta-ta deary!"

AJ looked over at the bag, judging by the way it looked, Rarity stitched it herself. After procrastinating for a while she tipped it over, knocking the contents out. First she thought it would be some type of dress or saddle. Her eyes watered a bit as she saw what the bag was containing

A few crayon drawings, a baby tooth in a baggy, a red ribbon, a piece of paper with a hoof print on it, in the corner of the page saying "Applebloom, age 3" and a note from Rarity saying "Some things left at my house"

Applejack stood there, looking at the ribbon. Applebloom wore ribbons all the time, she remembered the day she went to play with her friends and came back crying without her ribbon, so Applejack spent the whole afternoon looking around town for a place that sells ribbons after she found out Rarity was all out. She looked at the page with the paint hoof print. It was tiny, she lifted her hoof and put it on the hoof print and twitched her ear and did a grin as her eyes watered. It was so tiny and cute, she did a bit of a laugh as she looked over at the baby tooth. She lost her tooth as a sleepover at Rarity's place one night and Rarity took it to replace it with a bit. She must have forgot to give it to AJ.

She smiled at all the things as the memories of each object in the bag flowed back to her. Big Macintosh glanced over as he walked out the door but kept walking.


End file.
